{"id":69879,"date":"2016-11-09T05:34:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-08T18:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elements.blog-cms.envato.net\/?p=45743"},"modified":"2025-12-03T21:17:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T10:17:57","slug":"use-buffer-for-social-media-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/use-buffer-for-social-media-management","title":{"rendered":"How to Use Buffer for Swift Social Media Management"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Managing social media can be a daunting and time-consuming task, especially when you have to manage multiple social media profiles. Add to that the time it takes to create graphics for your messages and it\u2019s all too easy to start feeling overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, what if you could schedule updates for all your social media accounts and create eye-catching graphics that are easily shared across all of them from one location?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Buffer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Buffer? It’s a social media management tool that wants to simplify social media for business owners who want a straightforward solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s post, we\u2019ll cover why you should use Buffer, go over the basics of setting up your account, and review how to use Buffer to speed up your social media management process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Should You Consider Using Buffer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What
Buffer is a solid social media management option.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Social media management tools<\/a> come in many shapes and sizes, from simple ones focused on a singular task to more advanced ones with powerful features such as analytics, monitoring, reporting, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buffer fits nicely into the middle, having more features than simple tools like TweetDeck<\/a> yet it doesn\u2019t overwhelm complete beginners with more advanced tools like SproutSocial<\/a> or Rignite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been called the “Siri of social media<\/a>” and the team behind Buffer claims their mission is to build the simplest yet most powerful tool for social media management. It offers both free and paid plans, with paid plans structured for individuals and larger teams or agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first glance, Buffer is simple: add your updates and Buffer will automatically send them to selected accounts throughout the day. You don\u2019t have to manually set the time and the day, it\u2019s already preset for you. You can also add content to your Buffer from any website without the need to launch a new tab to sign into the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when you explore the tool a little more, you\u2019ll discover the ability to fine-tune the time your updates go out, a set of easy-to-understand analytics, and the ability to create and share graphics across your social media accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting Started With Buffer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Creating a Buffer Account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Creating
Setting up an account with Buffer is easy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let’s look at how to use Buffer by first setting up your account. Getting started with Buffer is insanely easy. You can use one of your existing social media profiles to log in or you can create an account using your email and a password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get started, navigate to the Buffer website<\/a> and use your Twitter, Facebook, or Google account to create your Buffer account. If you\u2019d rather use a separate login, go ahead and use your preferred email with a unique password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you opted to use your social media account, you will be prompted to give Buffer permission to use your account, so go ahead and click on Authorize or Allow<\/strong>. It will ask you for your email address so it can send you notifications. Once you\u2019ve done that, head over to My Account<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, you can review various account settings, such as turning email reminders on or off, setting up a secret email address so you can send updates to Buffer from your email, configuring your time and day settings, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Buffer
Most of Buffer’s settings are simple toggles. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once you have gone through all of the settings and configured them to your liking, click on the Dashboard<\/strong> in the left menu to return to the main Buffer app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Connecting Your Social Media Profiles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Buffer supports Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest. LinkedIn users can connect both profiles and pages and Facebook users can connect their personal profile, business page, or any group that they manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to note that Pinterest management is available only on their paid plan. Similarly, if you want to connect more than one profile on the same social platform (i.e. Facebook page and a Facebook group), you will have to upgrade to their Awesome plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their free plan allows you to connect one profile per account and in most cases, this is more than enough for small business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"connecting
You can connect most popular social network accounts to Buffer. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Connecting your accounts is simple. Simply click on the desired profile and follow the prompts to authorize Buffer to access the account. Repeat this for all the accounts you want to use with Buffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you connect them, you\u2019ll see them appear on the left side of the screen. You\u2019ll also notice a checkmark<\/strong> next to each profile which denotes this account is selected by default each time you compose a new status update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accessing Buffer’s Settings<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Clicking on any of your social profiles will give you access to the settings, schedule, and queue for that profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are four tabs along the top: Content<\/strong>, Analytics<\/strong>, Schedule<\/strong>, and Settings<\/strong>. The content tab also has sub-tabs which allow you to see what\u2019s in your Buffer queue, which updates need review (a useful feature if you\u2019re working with a team), and Content Inbox<\/strong> which is a feature available on the Awesome plan where you can see your favorite website\u2019s feeds directly in Buffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working With Buffer’s Analytics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Analytics<\/strong> tab lets you see how each of your status updates performed after it was shared. The Analysis<\/strong> and Insights<\/strong> tabs are available with Business plan and they include a set of rich analytics with charts and graphs that let you see the overall performance of your accounts over a period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Configuring Buffer’s URL Shortener<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The last tab, Settings<\/strong> allows you to configure your preferred URL shortener where you can choose between Buffer\u2019s link shorteners or connect your own bit.ly account and Buffer will ensure your links are shortened each time you add a post. You can also add team members, reconnect your profiles, and empty your queue if you want to delete the updates that are currently scheduled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Schedule<\/strong> tab is the most powerful feature of Buffer, so let\u2019s take a look at how sending and scheduling updates work with Buffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Sending and Scheduling Messages in Buffer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Buffer
Set up different posting schedules for each day of the week.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let’s look at how to use Buffer\u2019s scheduling tool. It’s perhaps one of the most advanced scheduling tools available. Each profile has its own independent schedule and queue. You can create rather complex posting schedules with completely different posting times and frequencies for different days of the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the very top of the page, you can select your timezone. The default timezone is London and you can select different time zones for each and every account you manage through Buffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By default, Buffer already sets the number of recommended updates and times to post. However, this is where you can fine-tune your strategy for each social media profile. You can select or deselect specific days of the week by clicking on them. You can also delete any of the existing times or add new ones if you want to post more than what Buffer presets for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, you can click on the Optimal Tool <\/strong>at the bottom if you\u2019d like Buffer to send out your updates at the optimal times for each network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"optimal
You can use the pre-set Optimal Schedule to send your tweets at the best times.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve set up your schedule for each network, let\u2019s send our first update. You can click on any of your social media profiles on the left and a content box will appear where you can enter the details. All the social media profiles that have a checkmark<\/strong> next to them will be selected by default so your update will go out to all of them at the specified times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"scheduling
Schedule your message and select which accounts from which to send it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t want an update to go out to all of your accounts, simply click on the profile image and the account will be removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter your status update together with the link which will automatically be shortened. You can also upload images or video to go along with your update. Finally, clicking on the blue Add to queue button<\/strong> will add the update to your Buffer queue<\/strong>. You can also click on the little arrow<\/strong> to share the update immediately or to schedule it for a specific time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advanced Social Media Management Features: Inside Buffer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even with the free plan, Buffer offers a nice set of advanced features. Let\u2019s go over them briefly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Pablo: Buffer’s Social Image Editor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Pablo\"
Buffer’s built-in image editing tool is called Pablo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let’s dig into how to use Buffer’s social image editor Pablo. This is a handy tool if you need a little help creating visuals to go along with the content you share. It\u2019s similar to Canva but it doesn\u2019t have quite as many features. What does make it useful, though, is its deep integration with Buffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buffer has a limited number of templates and predefined sizes for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. It also offers access to more than 600,000 stock images which you can use for free to create images which you can then share on social media through Buffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pablo
Pablo templates are designed specifically to fit on the popular social networks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The images come from websites like Pixabay and Unsplash, which offer free stock photos, and you can also upload your own photos if you have them. Or use stock photos from Envato<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To create a graphic, all you have to do is search for an image that you like, select it, and enter the text you want to have on the image. Once you\u2019re done, simply click on the share and download<\/strong>. A popup window will appear where you can compose your message, choose the accounts you want the image to be sent and click on Add to queue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Pablo isn\u2019t as feature rich as Canva, it does provide an easy way to create effective graphics for any content that you want to share on social media. It\u2019s a handy tool for anyone who wants to use photos but doesn\u2019t have the time or the budget for more robust tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Buffer Analytics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Buffer doesn\u2019t have the ability to monitor notifications or view details about a particular status update like some of the more advanced tools. However, Buffer does allow you to see the total numbers for these metrics. You can easily see likes, favorites, +1\u2019s, comments, replies, shares and mentions for each status update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The posts can be sorted by Recent, Most Popular, Least Popular, by type of post (Image, Link, Text) or by a specific date range. Below each post, you can see the activity for it. For tweets you can even see what the potential reach was based on your follower count and the follower count of anyone who shared that particular tweet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A handy feature in the analytics tab lets you re-Buffer posts that were particularly successful. This means that any post that had a large number of shares, likes or any other activity will be re-added to your queue on one or more social networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have the Buffer for Business plan<\/a>, you can also access the Analysis and Insights tabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Analysis tab lets you see how many posts per day were posted for that social profile during a 30-day period and how many clicks those posts got. The Insights tab lets you monitor your follower growth, see trends in activity levels, and whether or not your publishing activity has any impact on follower count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Buffer Apps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Buffer has apps for both Android and iOS devices and it comes with a handy browser extension which lets you share content from anywhere on the web. However, Buffer\u2019s extension lets you do a few other things as well:<\/p>\n\n\n\n